Troopers Sperr, Brown honored
BY DERRICK EK THE LEADER

JASON COX /THE LEADER Corning Elks Lodge members Angela Acly Carr, Fran Gehl and Jerry Vine present state Trooper Sean Brown with an honorary plaque during Thursday's law enforcement recognition ceremony. Brown was wounded in the line of duty last summer.

CORNING - A pair of state troopers who came into harm's way while doing their jobs were honored in an emotional ceremony Thursday evening.

Trooper Andrew Sperr and Trooper Sean Brown, both shot in the line of duty last year, were recognized by the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks Corning Lodge 1071 at the organization's annual law enforcement recognition dinner for "acts of heroism and bravery above and beyond the call of duty."

Sperr was killed March 1, 2006 in a gunfight with two men who had just robbed a Big Flats bank. He wounded both men, which ultimately led to their capture.

Brown was shot June 10, 2006 by escaped convict Ralph "Bucky" Phillips during a traffic stop on State Route 13 north of Horseheads. He was rushed to the hospital by his partner, Trooper Donald Will, and survived the shooting. Brown returned to work a few months later, and Phillips was eventually captured.

A crowd of roughly 100 law enforcement officers gathered at the Corning Elks Lodge for the event, including state police, sheriff 's deputies, and local police. Also on hand was Chemung County District Attorney John Trice, who prosecuted and convicted the men responsible for the shootings of both Sperr and Brown.

Fran Gehl of Corning, a Steuben County legislator and Elks Lodge member, organized the dinner.

"We really appreciate what

you guys do," Gehl told the crowd. "Every night when I say my prayers, you guys are first."

Sperr's parents, Andrew and Jean, made the trip from their home in the Rochester area and accepted a plaque in honor of their son.

Andrew Sperr Sr. fought back tears as he thanked the community and his son's colleagues for their support in the aftermath of the gunfight and the court proceedings that followed, saying that since his son was killed, he has "come to know the real meaning of family."

"We haven't recovered yet, and we probably never will. But a lot of good, positive things have happened in the past 10 months, too," the elder Sperr said, mentioning the scholarship funds and the

memorial park created in his son's honor.

The park - built at the site of the shooting, near a pond off South Kahler Road - includes a monument to Sperr, benches and landscaping around the pond, a children's playground and the entrance to a scenic walking, jogging and cycling path that extends for some distance in both directions.

The soft-spoken Brown said he was honored by the lodge's gesture, but seemed a bit uncomfortable being the center of attention.

"It's nice to be referred to as a hero, but I really don't feel that way. The real hero is the guy who's not here tonight," Brown said as he glanced at Sperr's parents. "The heroes are all these guys I work with, guys like Trooper Will, who drove me to the hospital that night."